This study presents the first comprehensive photographic documentation of butterfly diversity in Booni, Upper Chitral, Pakistan. Through field-based surveys conducted between April 2020 and October 2021, 23 butterfly species across 5 families were documented with 37 total observations. The study area spans an elevation gradient of 2,105-2,571 meters, representing montane butterfly communities of the Hindu Kush region. Butterflies were documented across diverse habitats including agricultural lands, mountain slopes, streams and rivers, meadows, wildlands, and home gardens. This baseline inventory provides essential data for future biodiversity monitoring and conservation planning in this climatically sensitive region.
Upper Chitral represents a critical biodiversity hotspot within the Hindu Kush mountain range, yet remains significantly understudied for invertebrate diversity. Booni, as the administrative headquarters of Upper Chitral, serves as an ideal location for baseline biodiversity documentation. Butterflies serve as valuable indicators of ecosystem health and climate change impacts in mountain environments.
This study aims to:
Location: Booni, Upper Chitral District, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Coordinates: 36°15’N, 72°15’E
Elevation Range: 2,105 - 2,571 meters above sea
level
Survey Period: April 2020 - October 2021 (18
months)
Habitat Types: Agricultural lands, mountain slopes,
streams and rivers, meadows, wildlands, and home gardens
# Load data
butterflies <- read_csv("../data/cleaned/booni_butterflies_cleaned.csv", show_col_types = FALSE)
species_checklist <- read_csv("../outputs/tables/species_checklist.csv", show_col_types = FALSE)
Butterfly observations were documented through field-based photography in Booni and surrounding areas between April 2020 and October 2021. Butterflies were photographed when encountered across diverse habitats including agricultural lands, mountain slopes, streams and rivers, meadows, wildlands, and home gardens. Each observation was photographed using a Redmi Note 10 Pro mobile phone camera and georeferenced using GPS. Species identifications were verified through consultation with Ackram Awan (butterfly expert, Pakistan), the iNaturalist community identification system, and regional field guides.
Data Collection: - Photography-based documentation across multiple habitat types - GPS coordinates and elevation recorded for each observation - Date, time, and habitat type documented - Species identified to species level through expert consultation
Survey Habitats: - Agricultural lands and croplands
- Mountain slopes and hillsides
- Streams and riverine areas - Meadows and grasslands - Wildlands and
natural vegetation - Home gardens
Data Analysis: All analyses were conducted in R
(version 4.5.1). Spatial analysis used sf and
leaflet packages, while visualizations employed
ggplot2 and viridis color schemes.
A total of 23 butterfly species from 5 families were documented across 37 observations.
family_summary <- species_checklist %>%
group_by(Family) %>%
summarise(Species = n(), .groups = "drop") %>%
arrange(desc(Species)) %>%
mutate(Percentage = round(100 * Species / sum(Species), 1))
kable(family_summary,
col.names = c("Family", "Species Count", "Percentage (%)"),
caption = "Butterfly family diversity in Booni") %>%
kable_styling(bootstrap_options = c("striped", "hover"))
| Family | Species Count | Percentage (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Nymphalidae | 9 | 39.1 |
| Lycaenidae | 7 | 30.4 |
| Pieridae | 4 | 17.4 |
| Hesperiidae | 2 | 8.7 |
| Papilionidae | 1 | 4.3 |
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/01_family_diversity.png")
Distribution of butterfly species across families
Nymphalidae (Brush-footed butterflies) and Lycaenidae (Blues, Hairstreaks, Coppers) were the most diverse families, collectively representing 65% of documented species. This pattern is typical of Himalayan montane butterfly communities.
checklist_display <- species_checklist %>%
mutate(
Date = format(Date, "%d %b %Y"),
Elevation_m = round(Elevation_m, 0)
) %>%
select(
`#` = Species_ID,
Family,
`English Name` = EnglishName,
`Scientific Name` = ScientificName,
`First Observed` = Date,
`Elevation (m)` = Elevation_m
)
kable(checklist_display,
caption = "Annotated checklist of butterfly species from Booni") %>%
kable_styling(bootstrap_options = c("striped", "hover", "condensed"),
font_size = 11) %>%
column_spec(4, italic = TRUE)
| # | Family | English Name | Scientific Name | First Observed | Elevation (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hesperiidae | Mallow Skipper | Carcharodus alceae | 22 Jun 2020 | 2116 |
| 2 | Hesperiidae | Chitral Inky Skipper | Erynnis pathan | 19 Jul 2020 | 2197 |
| 3 | Lycaenidae | Green Hairstreak | Callophrys rubi | 23 Apr 2021 | 2517 |
| 4 | Lycaenidae | Walnut Blue | Chaetoprocta odata | 04 Jul 2020 | 2111 |
| 5 | Lycaenidae | Hedge Blue | Holarctic azures | 12 Jun 2020 | 2110 |
| 6 | Lycaenidae | Small Copper | Lycaena phlaeas | 30 Jul 2020 | 2115 |
| 7 | Lycaenidae | Loew’s Blue | Plebejidea loewii | 12 Jun 2021 | 2571 |
| 8 | Lycaenidae | Common Blue | Polyommatus icarus | 22 Jun 2020 | 2117 |
| 9 | Lycaenidae | White-line Hairstreak | Satyrium deria | 12 Jun 2020 | 2110 |
| 10 | Nymphalidae | Indian Tortoiseshell | Aglais cashmirensis | 03 Apr 2021 | 2114 |
| 11 | Nymphalidae | Enervated Rockbrown | Chazara enervata | 12 Jun 2021 | 2151 |
| 12 | Nymphalidae | White-ringed Meadowbrown | Hyponephele davendra | 12 Jun 2021 | 2346 |
| 13 | Nymphalidae | Kanetisa Digna | Kanetisa digna | 12 Jun 2020 | 2217 |
| 14 | Nymphalidae | Dark Wall | Lasiommata menava | 04 Jun 2020 | 2231 |
| 15 | Nymphalidae | Chitral White Admiral | Limenitis lepechini | 20 Jun 2021 | 2113 |
| 16 | Nymphalidae | Robert Fritillary | Melitaea robertsi | 26 Apr 2021 | 2362 |
| 17 | Nymphalidae | Chitrali Satyr | Satyrus pimpla | 20 Jul 2020 | 2296 |
| 18 | Nymphalidae | Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui | 12 Jun 2020 | 2134 |
| 19 | Papilionidae | Old World Swallowtail | Papilio machaon | 29 Apr 2021 | 2365 |
| 20 | Pieridae | Pioneer White | Belenois aurota | 09 Sep 2020 | 2107 |
| 21 | Pieridae | Eastern Pale Clouded Yellow | Colias erate | 19 Jul 2020 | 2266 |
| 22 | Pieridae | Large White | Pieris brassicae | 12 Jun 2020 | 2110 |
| 23 | Pieridae | Small White | Pieris rapae | 20 Jul 2020 | 2263 |
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/02_temporal_distribution.png")
Seasonal distribution of butterfly observations
Peak butterfly activity occurred during June-July, with 13 observations recorded during this period. Spring emergence (April-May) showed moderate activity with 8 observations, while late season records (August-October) were limited.
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/04_species_accumulation.png")
Species accumulation curve showing discovery rate over time
The species accumulation curve demonstrates continued discovery of new species throughout the survey period, suggesting that additional survey effort would likely yield more species records.
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/03_elevation_distribution.png")
Distribution of observations across elevation gradient
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/05_elevation_ranges.png")
Elevation ranges for each butterfly species
Observations spanned a 466-meter elevation gradient (2,105-2,571m). Species showed varying elevational preferences:
include_graphics("../outputs/figures/06_elevation_by_family.png")
Elevation distribution by family
# Load and display the interactive map
map_file <- "../outputs/maps/booni_butterfly_map.html"
if(file.exists(map_file)) {
include_url(map_file)
} else {
cat("Map file not found. Run 02_spatial_analysis.R first.")
}
Interactive map of butterfly observations (open in browser for full functionality)
Observations were concentrated in accessible areas around Booni town and nearby agricultural zones, with some records from higher elevation sites during spring-summer expeditions.
First observed: 22 June 2020
Elevation: 2,117m
One of the most widespread butterfly species, observed at multiple
locations throughout the survey period.
First observed: 30 July 2020
Elevation: 2,115m
Small, vibrant copper-colored butterfly frequently observed in open
areas.
First observed: 12 June 2020
Elevation: 2,110m
Small blue butterfly found in hedgerows and garden areas.
First observed: 4 July 2020
Elevation: 2,111m
Associated with walnut trees, an important species for agricultural
landscapes.
First observed: 12 June 2020
Elevation: 2,110m
Distinctive hairstreak with characteristic white line markings.
First observed: 23 April 2021
Elevation: 2,517m
Bright green underwing, found at highest elevations in the study.
First observed: 12 June 2021
Elevation: 2,571m
Recorded at the highest elevation of all species in this survey.
First observed: 12 June 2020
Elevation: 2,134m
Cosmopolitan species, one of the most widespread butterflies
globally.
First observed: 3 April 2021
Elevation: 2,114m
Regional species found in the Himalayan region.
First observed: 20 July 2020
Elevation: 2,296m
Named after the Chitral region, a species of conservation interest.
First observed: 12 June 2021
Elevation: 2,151m
Mountain specialist found on rocky slopes.
First observed: 12 June 2021
Elevation: 2,346m
Distinctive white-ringed pattern on wings.
First observed: 12 June 2020
Elevation: 2,217m
Less common nymphalid species in the region.
First observed: 20 June 2021
Elevation: 2,113m
Regional endemic named after the Chitral valley.
First observed: 26 April 2021
Elevation: 2,362m
Attractive fritillary with distinctive checkered pattern.
First observed: 12 June 2020
Elevation: 2,110m
Common agricultural pest species, found near vegetable gardens.
First observed: 20 July 2020
Elevation: 2,263m
Smaller relative of Large White, equally common.
First observed: 9 September 2020
Elevation: 2,107m
Migratory species occasionally reaching the region.
First observed: 19 July 2020
Elevation: 2,266m
Pale yellow butterfly common in meadows and open areas.
First observed: 22 June 2020
Elevation: 2,116m
Small, fast-flying skipper associated with mallow plants.
First observed: 19 July 2020
Elevation: 2,197m
Regional endemic species, important for local biodiversity.
First observed: 29 April 2021
Elevation: 2,365m
Large, distinctive species and the only swallowtail recorded during the
survey.
This study represents the first systematic documentation of butterfly diversity for Booni, Upper Chitral. The 23 species documented across diverse habitat types provide valuable baseline data for the region. The survey methodology, combining field expertise and modern technology (mobile photography and GPS), demonstrates an effective approach for biodiversity documentation in remote mountain regions.
Several species of regional significance were documented:
The elevation gradient documented (2,105-2,571m) represents a critical zone for monitoring climate change impacts. Montane butterflies in the Hindu Kush are particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures and habitat modification.
This baseline survey establishes foundational data on butterfly diversity in Booni, Upper Chitral. The documentation of 23 species across diverse families and habitats demonstrates the area’s ecological value. Future research should focus on:
Sincere gratitude to Mr. Ackram Awan, butterfly expert of Pakistan, for his invaluable assistance with species identifications and taxonomic verification. Thanks to the iNaturalist community for additional identification support.
iNaturalist. (2020-2021). Community species identifications. Available at: https://www.inaturalist.org/people/syed_inzimam
Awan, A. Personal communication. Expert identification and verification of butterfly species from Upper Chitral.
Bingham, C.T. (1905-1907). The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma: Butterflies (Vols. 1-2). Taylor and Francis, London.
Wynter-Blyth, M.A. (1957). Butterflies of the Indian Region. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai.
Data Availability: All observation data, photographs, and R code are available at: [https://github.com/Syedinzimam]
Contact: [inzimamsyed12@gmail.com]
sessionInfo()
## R version 4.5.1 (2025-06-13 ucrt)
## Platform: x86_64-w64-mingw32/x64
## Running under: Windows 10 x64 (build 19045)
##
## Matrix products: default
## LAPACK version 3.12.1
##
## locale:
## [1] LC_COLLATE=English_Pakistan.utf8 LC_CTYPE=English_Pakistan.utf8
## [3] LC_MONETARY=English_Pakistan.utf8 LC_NUMERIC=C
## [5] LC_TIME=English_Pakistan.utf8
##
## time zone: Asia/Karachi
## tzcode source: internal
##
## attached base packages:
## [1] stats graphics grDevices utils datasets methods base
##
## other attached packages:
## [1] magick_2.9.0 kableExtra_1.4.0 knitr_1.50 htmlwidgets_1.6.4
## [5] viridis_0.6.5 viridisLite_0.4.2 DT_0.34.0 plotly_4.11.0
## [9] leaflet_2.2.3 sf_1.0-22 lubridate_1.9.4 forcats_1.0.1
## [13] stringr_1.5.2 dplyr_1.1.4 purrr_1.1.0 readr_2.1.5
## [17] tidyr_1.3.1 tibble_3.3.0 ggplot2_4.0.0 tidyverse_2.0.0
##
## loaded via a namespace (and not attached):
## [1] tidyselect_1.2.1 farver_2.1.2 S7_0.2.0
## [4] fastmap_1.2.0 lazyeval_0.2.2 digest_0.6.37
## [7] timechange_0.3.0 lifecycle_1.0.4 magrittr_2.0.4
## [10] compiler_4.5.1 rlang_1.1.6 sass_0.4.10
## [13] tools_4.5.1 utf8_1.2.6 yaml_2.3.10
## [16] data.table_1.17.8 labeling_0.4.3 bit_4.6.0
## [19] classInt_0.4-11 xml2_1.4.0 RColorBrewer_1.1-3
## [22] KernSmooth_2.23-26 withr_3.0.2 grid_4.5.1
## [25] e1071_1.7-16 scales_1.4.0 cli_3.6.5
## [28] rmarkdown_2.30 crayon_1.5.3 ragg_1.5.0
## [31] generics_0.1.4 rstudioapi_0.17.1 httr_1.4.7
## [34] tzdb_0.5.0 DBI_1.2.3 cachem_1.1.0
## [37] proxy_0.4-27 parallel_4.5.1 s2_1.1.9
## [40] vctrs_0.6.5 jsonlite_2.0.0 hms_1.1.4
## [43] bit64_4.6.0-1 systemfonts_1.3.1 crosstalk_1.2.2
## [46] jquerylib_0.1.4 units_1.0-0 glue_1.8.0
## [49] leaflet.providers_2.0.0 stringi_1.8.7 gtable_0.3.6
## [52] pillar_1.11.1 htmltools_0.5.8.1 R6_2.6.1
## [55] wk_0.9.4 textshaping_1.0.4 vroom_1.6.6
## [58] evaluate_1.0.5 png_0.1-8 bslib_0.9.0
## [61] class_7.3-23 Rcpp_1.1.0 svglite_2.2.1
## [64] gridExtra_2.3 xfun_0.53 pkgconfig_2.0.3